Got an angry email recently from a reader who didn’t like being told the truth about climate change (the latest U.S. example of which involves raging California wildfires that have now melded into the largest conflaguration in the state's history, growing to the size of metro Los Angeles). .

“Great self-portrait today. It depicts you well.as an ‘Angry Man!’“_____

My reply:

“You’re simply angry at me for not doodling your political views for you. I go after you mercilessly with cartoons. Just think how bad folks have it in California with human-exacerbated climate change.

“Thank you and have a nice day.”_____

Complaining reader’s response:

“OH Steve, I’m not angry at you,.. I just laugh over you. Such an Idiot you are!

“Forests that have been growing for 100-200-500 years, OR MORE, are now burning, because of MAN?

“And you’re angry, cuz not everybody agrees with YOU! But you are able to get that lil piece of Bird Cage Liner every week, to make you feel important, and make a statement. You should be happy, somebody actually paid attention to your drawing.

“And YOU DON’T KNOW my Political Views. I just know yours. YOU are the Angry White MAN!”_____

“You are the one provoking the anger [your words] in others, via your drawings. To me that would say you are the angry one, because you don’t like the current political policy. Yet you have the platform to express your anger, to the public.Even with the small stipend I’m sure it pays you. BUT money is not you are motivating factor I’m sure. You are JUST an Angry White Man. Glad you aren’t a COP anymore…You would be dangerous to the public welfare

“BUT I enjoy the banter. BUT I won’t bug you anymore. You can’t HANDLE the TRUTH!

Isn't funny how he compares 1800's "forest fires" with today's, forgetting that today we have air tankers/water-dropping helicopters (they didn't then); we have well-trained, well-equipped firefighters (they didn't then); we have trucks that can get to remote locations quickly (they didn't then), etc.

And that he doesn't notice that the list HE provided has about 5 entries before 1900, about 15 between 1900 and 2000, and about twenty in just the last 18 years, many of which were, at their time, "the worst ever."

So, from HIS link: many more fires more recently, many more "record" fires recently, and all that despite our superior technology, training, and manpower.

You should have told him thanks for the link, since it proved you were right...:)

Most of the fires are in the north, not the south, of California. And perhaps contrary to your expectations, they were not started by communists or even fellow travelers.

On your other point, people are not fleeing California. Since 2010 net inflows have averaged 330,000 per year. In other words, the equivalent of the state of Utah upped and moved to California in the space of a decade. That makes the state one of the most attractive in the country.